The 2026 UCF Knights football team represents the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights are led by fourth-year head coach Scott Frost in the second year of his second stint. The Knights play their home games at Acrisure Bounce House, located in Orlando, Florida.
Schedule
Offseason Incoming Kaleb AnnettQBBoise StateAlonza Barnett IIIQBJMUTy BartrumSHarvardAtticus BertramsPWisconsinJonathan BibbsWRLouisiana–MonroeTJ BranchSColoradoGrayson BrousseauTEOklahoma StateDylan BurkTESam HoustonLanden ChambersRBCentral ArkansasThomas CollinsDLOregon StateJahleel CulbreathLBOld DominionTackett CurtisLBWisconsinBruno DallEDGEAkronJosh DerryWRMonmouthJailen DuffieCBNorth Dakota StateCaleb FlaggSMissouriTyler GibsonOTCharlotteBrad Gurley Jr.DLEastern KentuckyL A Jessie HarroldEDGEFlorida StateRashad HenryLBUMassKyle HicksLSTennessee StateMatt IrwinSIdahoKeyone JenkinsQBFIUKahmel JohnsonSWayne StateArtavius JonesDLMiami (FL)Daniel Marcellinus OLCampbellDean Miller EDGEKansasJosh SchnellDLTennesseeWill StoneKTexasHenry TabansiOTBuffaloKen TalleyEDGEArkansasCooper TerpstraIOLMichigan StateDuke WatsonRBLouisvilleBrady WayburnOTUConn
Outgoing Max DragTESouth CarolinaDavi BelfortQBJames MadisonPatrick BarnettIOLFresno StateJaquez JoinerIOLMarshallIsaiah ReedCBUMassJosh DorsainvilEDGENAKeshaun HudsonDLJackson StateTroy FordLBWest FloridaCam FancherQBMichigan StateCarl Jenkins Jr.WRMiami (OH)Dalton RiggsLSOhio StateJaeden GouldSTempleDJ BlackWRSouth CarolinaJa'Cari HendersonCBAppalachian StateStacy GageRBLSUTyreek'e RobinsonDLEast Tennessee StateRodney LoraDLPurdueTJ BullardLBFloridaBredell RichardsonWRTulaneChristian PetersonSEast CarolinaJamaal JohnsonEDGENorthwesternAndrew RumphDLJacksonville StateDerrick LeBlancDLMarylandCarter MillerIOLSouth CarolinaMalakhi BooneLBBethune–CookmanJohn WalkerDLOhio StateJacurri BrownQBRiceJyaire BrownCBSouthern MissKylan FoxTEPurdueTayven JacksonQBNorth TexasTony Williams Jr.SKennesaw StateJakob GudeSAppalachian StateJaylen HeywardSArkansas StateKam MooreLBArkansas StateChase JarrettDBColgateThomas GearityOLColgateDwartney WorthamWRFurman Sources:
2026 Recruits
*= 247Sports Composite rating; ratings are out of 1.00. (five stars= 1.00–.98, four stars= .97–.90, three stars= .80–.89) †= Despite being rated as a three star recruit by ESPN, On3.com, and 247Sports.com, Stroud received a four star rating by Rivals.com. Δ= TBD left the UCF program following signing but prior to the 2026 season.
Preseason For 2026, UCF did not conduct their annual spring exhibition game, due to construction at the stadium. As a substitute, the Knights arranged for a public practice session on May 2. The Big 12 officially discontinued their annual preseason media poll, but an unofficial poll sponsored by Tulsa World predicted the Knights to finish 14th in the conference.
In July, head coach Scott Frost named James Madison transfer Alonza Barnett III the starting quarterback, beating out fellow transfers Keyone Jenkins (FIU) and Kaleb Annett (Boise State). Barnett led James Madison to a 12–2 record in 2025, winning the Sun Belt Championship, and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Award watch lists Alonza Barnett III QB Maxwell AwardManning AwardDavey O'Brien AwardEast–West Shrine Bowl Lewis Carter LB Chuck Bednarik AwardEast–West Shrine Bowl Horace Lockett DT Senior Bowl Top 300East–West Shrine Bowl Dylan Wade TE John Mackey AwardEast–West Shrine Bowl Jahleel Culbreath LB Butkus Award Landen Chambers RB Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Duke Watson RB Doak Walker Award Owen Spell OL Wuerffel Trophy
Additional players named to the East–West Shrine Bowl watch list include: Ty Bartrum, Jayden Bellamy, Thomas Collins, Preston Cushman, Josh Derry, Demari Henderson, and R.J. Jackson Jr.
Sources:
Game summaries vs Bethune–Cookman (FCS)
Statistics BCUUCFFirst downs 9 26Plays–yards 60–181 60–560Rushes–yards 40–107 38–360Passing yards 74 200Passing: –– 10–20–1 15–22–1Turnovers 2 1Time of possession 31:55 28:05 Team Category Player Statistics Bethune–Cookman Passing Tyler Jefferson 4/10, 55 yards, INT Rushing Isaiah Daniel 10 carries, 65 yards Receiving Rickie Shaw II 4 receptions, 40 yards UCF Passing Alonza Barnett III 11/18, 158 yards, TD, INT Rushing Duke Watson 7 carries, 110 yards, TD Receiving Josh Derry 3 receptions, 45 yards
UCF opened the season against Bethune–Cookman on Thursday night. The Knights routed the Wildcats 73–6, tying a school record for most points in a game. It was the largest margin of victory in program history (67 points), and UCF won on opening day for the 11th consecutive year.
Alonza Barnett III started at quarterback, and threw for 158 yards and ran for a touchdown. The Knights got off to a fast start. On the second play from scrimmage, Duke Watson ran for a 64-yard touchdown, and an early 7–0 lead. Just 20 seconds later, Jayden Williams returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown, and the Knights were up 14–0 less than five minutes into the game. The Knights built a 38–0 halftime lead, and cruised to victory.
at Pittsburgh
Statistics UCFPITT First downs 9 15 Plays–yards 53–206 72–315 Rushes–yards 22–20 43–103 Passing yards 186 212 Passing: –– 20–31–0 18–29–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 23:48 36:12 Team Category Player Statistics UCF Passing Alonza Barnett III 20/31, 186 yards, TD Rushing Alonza Barnett III 13 carries, 13 yards Receiving Ric'Darious Farmer 4 receptions, 52 yards Pittsburgh Passing Mason Heintschel 18/29, 212 yards Rushing Damon Ferguson Jr. 20 carries, 59 yards, TD Receiving Cataurus Hicks 3 receptions, 64 yards
UCF lost 12–7 on the road at Pitt, on a rainy afternoon. It was the Knights' 10th consecutive road loss. The weather turned the game into a defensive battle. Trailing 12–0 late in the fourth quarter, UCF finally got on the board with a 19-yard touchdown pass in the pouring rain to Waden Charles. The Knights defense forced a three-and-out, and got the ball back with 2:51 remaining. The offense, however, was unable to mount a game-winning drive, and the Panthers held on to win.
vs Georgia State
Statistics GASTUCFFirst downs2517Plays–yards84–48557–390Rushes–yards35–20340–304Passing yards28286Passing: –– 30–49–37–17–1Turnovers31Time of possession 33:2026:40 Team Category Player Statistics Georgia State Passing Cameran Brown 30/47, 282 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Qwantavius Wiggins 11 carries, 125 yards, TD Receiving DJ Riles 7 receptions, 69 yards UCF Passing Keyone Jenkins 7/17, 86 yards, TD, INT Rushing Duke Watson 14 carries, 177 yards, 2 TD Receiving Waden Charles 3 receptions, 46 yards, TD
Alonza Barnett III sat out due to a hamstring injury suffered at Pitt, and Keyone Jenkins started at quarterback. Jenkins threw one touchdown pass, and ran for two touchdowns as the Knights rallied past Georgia State on Saturday night. The Panthers took a 24–20 lead into halftime. But in the second half, the UCF defense kept the Panthers out of the endzone, forced three interceptions, and the Knights pulled away for a 44–30 victory. Running back Duke Watson sparked the comeback with a 63-yard touchdown run on the first play of the third quarter. UCF put up 304 yards on the ground with four rushing touchdowns.
vs TCU
Statistics TCUUCFFirst downs1817Plays–yards67–34353–266Rushes–yards27–3333–106Passing yards310160Passing: –– 25–40–219–20–0Time of possession 32:4927:11 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Jaden Craig 25/40, 310 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jeremy Payne 15 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jordan Dwyer 5 receptions, 100 yards UCF Passing Keyone Jenkins 19/20, 160 yards, 1 TD Rushing Duke Watson 13 carries, 57 yards Receiving Josh Derry 3 receptions, 41 yards
UCF hosted TCU in their Big 12 Conference opener. Keyone Jenkins started at quarterback for the second straight week. Jenkins set a school record going 19-for-20 in pass attempts (95.0% completion percentage), leading the Knights to a 21–13 victory over the Horned Frogs. The Horned Frogs got the ball first, but the Knights defense forced a fumble on the third play of the game. Six plays later, Taevion Swint's 13-yard touchdown run gave the Knights an early 7–0 lead. Leading 14–10 with 4:11 to go in the first half, Jayden Bellamy intercepted Jaden Craig and the Knights took over at the TCU 36. Facing a 3rd & 7 at the 10 yard line, Keyone Jenkins was sacked and fumbled, snuffing out the scoring opportunity. UCF still led 14–10 at halftime.
UCF got the ball to start the second half, but went three-and-out. TCU followed up with a field goal, and cut the deficit to 14–13 midway through the third quarter. The Horned Frogs had driven to the UCF 15, but two penalties and a sack by Isaiah Nixon forced TCU to settle for the field goal. Jenkins then drove the Knights 75 yards in 11 plays. The drive was capped off with a touchdown run by Landen Chambers, and a 21–13 lead with 12:25 left in regulation. With 1:48 to go, TCU was driving in UCF territory, facing a 3rd & 17 at the UCF 28. Antione Jackson intercepted Jaden Craig at the 7 yard line which essentially sealed the victory for the Knights. UCF improved to 3–1 overall (1–0 in Big 12), and 3–0 at home.
at No. 20 Houston
Statistics UCFHOUFirst downs1323Plays–yards59–33277–393Rushes–yards21–7344–154Passing yards259239Passing: –– 25–38–118–33–0Time of possession26:3833:32 Team Category Player Statistics UCF Passing Keyone Jenkins 23/35, 253 yards, TD, INT Rushing Duke Watson 9 carries, 50 yards Receiving Josh Derry 7 receptions, 101 yards, TD Houston Passing Conner Weigman 18/33, 239 yards Rushing Re'Shaun Sanford II 18 carries, 62 yards Receiving Patrick Overmyer 6 receptions, 76 yards
UCF led 17–0 in the third quarter, but Houston rallied with 27 unanswered points. The Knights fell 27–17, notching their 11th consecutive road loss. They dropped to 3–2 on the season (1–1 in Big 12).
at No. 18 Oklahoma State
Statistics UCFOKST First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UCF Passing Rushing Receiving Oklahoma State Passing Rushing Receiving
vs BYU
Statistics BYUUCF First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics BYU Passing Rushing Receiving UCF Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Baylor
Statistics BAYUCF First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Baylor Passing Rushing Receiving UCF Passing Rushing Receiving
at Kansas
Statistics UCFKU First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UCF Passing Rushing Receiving Kansas Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Arizona State
Statistics ASUUCF First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Arizona State Passing Rushing Receiving UCF Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Iowa State
Statistics ISUUCF First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Iowa State Passing Rushing Receiving UCF Passing Rushing Receiving
at Colorado
Statistics UCFCOLO First downs Plays–yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: –– Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics UCF Passing Rushing Receiving Colorado Passing Rushing Receiving
Personnel Roster and coaching staff Coaching staff additions Cooper Bassett Tight ends Oklahoma State Offensive line coach AJ Blazek Offensive line Wisconsin Offensive line coach Kefense Hynson Pass game coordinator Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass game coordinator David Overstreet II Cornerbacks Dallas Cowboys Secondary/cornerbacks coach Eric Terrazas Senior offensive analyst Kansas Offensive analyst : retained
Coaching staff departures